Illinois § 1-5

§ 1-5.

Findings. The General Assembly finds that: (1) There are over 875,000 children under the age of 5 in Illinois, nearly half of whom are under the age of 3. At birth, a baby's brain is 25% the size of an adult's brain. Yet, an infant's brain has roughly 86 billion neurons, almost all the neurons the human brain will ever have. (2) From 3 to 15 months, neuron connections form at a rate of 40,000 per second. By age 3, synaptic connections have grown to 100 trillion. Ages 3 to 5 are critical years to build executive function skills like focusing attention, remembering instructions, and demonstrating self-control. Without these skills, children are not fully equipped to learn when they enter kindergarten. By age 5, 90% of brain development is complete. (3) Prenatal programs improve the regular care of birthing parents, reduce the risk of infant low birth weight and mortality, and increase regular child wellness visits, screenings, and immunizations. (4) Early childhood education and care not only improve school readiness and literacy, but also improve cognitive development for future success in life, school, and the workforce. (5) Research shows that for every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood education and care, society gains over $7 in economic returns in the long-term. (6) Supporting children means supporting their parents and families. The early childhood education and care industry is the workforce behind all other workforces. High-quality child care enables parents and families to consistently work and earn an income to support their children. Research also shows that early childhood education and care programs can reduce parental stress and improve family well-being. (7) Investing in early childhood education and care is in the interest of all residents and will make Illinois the best state in the nation to raise young children. (Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)